Staying connected with the Department of Health
Australians can now access digital immunisation information—even without the internet. This is possible through the Department of Health's new Australian Immunisation Handbook app.
‘Healthcare professionals and residents in rural and remote locations need access to immunisation information. It's not always possible to access the internet for these users due to low or no internet connectivity. To make information readily available, we created an app to replicate the Australian Immunisation Handbook,’ said Shane, ICT Manager, National Immunisation Program.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook website is hosted on the GovCMS SaaS platform. It is a small website with just over 400 pages. Users can access information on the website or through the app on their selected device. Once users download the app they don’t need the internet to view information. The app updates information automatically when an internet connection is available. This keeps content up-to-date.
‘Information is converted from our website to the app through software called Xamarin. It almost replicates information page for page. Changes to the website are reflected automatically in the app. Digitising the handbook ensures content is always current and saves printing hard copies.
‘One of the best features of the website is an immunisation calculator. It has been replicated perfectly through the app. The calculator allows users to identify immunisations, doses and immunisation schedules.’
The business area is really pleased with the results of their new app.
‘It was an exciting project. We also had the help of a systems developer using resources with both Xamarin and Drupal. We all worked well together to create a user friendly app.
‘As a project manager specialising in change management I hadn’t had a lot of experience with GovCMS. I found it straightforward and intuitive. GovCMS is easy to use if you have experience with other CMS products. The workflows have helped us streamline the process for maintaining our website and app.
‘I’m looking forward to working more with GovCMS on the next iteration of the website.’